Pray Psalm 121

Psalm 121 

Pray that the words of Psalm 121. Let this be your song of ascent.

I lift up my eyes to the hills—

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—

he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you—

 the Lord is your shade at your right  

 hand;

 the sun will not harm you by day,

 nor the moon by night.

 The Lord will keep you from all  

  harm—

  he will watch over your life;

  the Lord will watch over your  

  coming and going

  both now and forevermore.

This psalm is God’s Word for you, a reminder that you are never alone on the narrow road. As you call upon Jesus’ name, ask Him to come near you, to stand by your side, and walk alongside you. Do you hear Him calling you to step up on the narrow road towards your healing? Yes, God is calling you to get out of the slimy pit and walk towards Him! You have no strength to do it? Perhaps you have no desire either, or you just don’t care anymore. Your efforts to get out of the pit have all proved worthless. You have tried hard and have failed over and over again. After so many attempts, you are still in the pit, alone in the dark, alone in the cold, crushed in your misery. You have walked broken through life for so long that it has become your “natural” state of existence. You have come to believe that there is no other state of heart besides being trapped in the slimy pit of sadness and pain. 

Maybe you did try hard, but your quest for happiness and peace only confirmed your dreadful fears of being hopelessly lost in the maze of endless, unhappy days. Your spirit is starving for love; your soul is longing for rest; your body is aching for a soothing touch. Your failures to break free from pain and misery have only made you more acutely aware of your deepening needs and increasing wants. Maybe you are at the point where the emptiness inside has turned into despair. And there you are—a prisoner to pain and misery. 

Listen! Right where you are, at the bottom of the pit. Just listen and consider something else: Things will change for you now; the gloom will be shaken off. Listen! It is not I who says this; your God calls you to listen. 

Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you. (Mark 10:49) 

See, God is calling you! He calls your name. Do you hear His voice? Do you feel His breath of life breathed fresh on you? Would you say “Yes” to your God, who in His steadfast love has come to journey on the narrow road with you? 

Still the cries of your heart, quiet your soul, and listen! God has spoken to you! “Yes,” you say, “but I can’t get out of the pit. I can’t walk towards God. It is hard for me to lift my head, much less move my feet. It is hard. It is impossible!” Of course, it is hard. It indeed feels impossible. Pain paralyzes, and sorrow stiffens the ability to move. Consuming self-pity binds with cords of helplessness, and deep sadness wraps its nets of utter destitution. Despair imprisons. You are right. From the trappings of this captivity, everything seems impossible. Listen again! While you are unable to move, you can still listen. Tone down and tune up to the voice of God. 

Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)                     

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. (Isaiah 43:1b) 

Consider His call and come humbly before Him. Soon, you will find yourself strengthened on the road to freedom. 

Note: When you find yourself overwhelmed with negative emotions consider this strategy. When emotions are rampaging and feelings override reason just: 

GO WITH THE MOTION, NOT WITH THE EMOTION

Go with the motion of the cross, described in the first session (p.13) and in much greater details in the sixth session (p.148), with the prayers provided. Be honest, firmly desiring to do what is right in the eyes of God. Don’t trust emotions. The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure (Jeremiah 17:9). Instead, employ the strategy of simple faith: The believer lives by faith (Habakkuk 2:4). Take this step with complete confidence that the Scripture is truthful and the teachings lead to divine healing. Remember, the Lord knows your state of being “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3).  But the promise of those “poor in spirit” is worthy:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)

Jesus will enable you to follow Him. This is precisely what the prayer from the pit will be: To ask Him to give you strength to still your heart so you can hear His voice and follow Him. 

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I call to You from the bottom of the pit. Holy Spirit, I invite You to come and minister to me. Let Your healing presence penetrate the deepest caverns of my heart to those places that have never been touched. Lord, I am broken inside and hurting. Darkness and pain have been my only companions for a long time. All my heart feels is pain. All my eyes see is darkness. Your light seems nonexistent. I have forgotten the sweet taste of Your peace. My days are robbed of joy and happiness. I have been held prisoner to despair for a long time. Misery is my bed. Darkness is my cover. In faith, Lord, I call forth Your light to push the darkness that has imprisoned me for so long. I need Your grace to bring my aching soul to stillness. I need Your mercy, Father, to silence the cries of my heart. Quiet my soul so I can be more attentive to Your voice. Still my heart, Lord, make it sensitive to Your presence. Soothe the wounds of my broken spirit. Bring Your light into my darkness. Restore the peace inside. Tune my spirit to Your Spirit so I can hear Your voice and follow You. Amen! 

Allow yourself time to soak in the presence of the Holy Spirit. You may need to repeat the prayer a few times so your mind’s petition comes into agreement with the needs of your heart because the steps ahead require the unity of both. 

Are you ready to approach Jesus as never before? Are you ready to embark on a transforming journey on the narrow road to the Kingdom of Heaven? The desired transformation will be a spiritual one: EHAD with God. Your despised state of misery will be replaced with the much-desired state of peace. Come and take the gift from heaven for the cure of your heart. It has been available ever since Jesus declared it two thousand years ago.